Publishers Weekly
08/31/2020
Arguably no one knew Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) better than his brother, as Rahaman Ali proves in this astute account of the world boxing champion’s life. From their childhood in Jim Crow–era Louisville, Ky., to Muhammad Ali’s early Olympic triumph and his glorious professional career, the younger brother reveals his elder sibling’s overly generous manner with family and fans. Ali takes readers behind the scenes of Ali’s draft fight, the aftermath of his first defeat by Frazier in 1971, his epic battles with Sonny Liston and George Foreman, his Hollywood forays, and his womanizing and divorces. An added bonus: Ali’s access to his brother’s complex relationship with the Nation of Islam, with revelations about his abrupt parting with Malcolm X, when the boxer was forced to “choose sides” in disputes within the organization; his financial woes with manager Jabir Herbert Muhammad; and his adoration of Herbert Muhammad’s father, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Though “boxing was just a platform,” Ali writes, his brother was “the chosen one to unite people through love, peace and respect.” Ali’s candor may irk some, but instead of milking the Champ’s well-worn myth and hype, Ali offers an intimate, bittersweet remembrance. This is a great addition to the literature about one of the 20th century’s towering figures. (Oct.)
Mike Tyson
There's no man like Muhammad Ali. Everything we have he supersedes us in... Rahaman, at last, has written the definitive biography on his late brother, which tells the real Ali story by a close family member.
From the Publisher
Heart-warming, multi-faceted and hard-hitting. Thanks to Rahaman's powerful storytelling ability, My Brother, Muhammad Ali shares with the world a tale unlike any other biography on Muhammad Ali.
No one knew Muhammad Ali better than Rahaman, and he provides a welcome and insightful addition to the extensive Ali literature.
Rahaman was alongside Muhammad Ali all the way, from his street-fighting teenage days, loving home life, soaring fame, marriages, troubles, notoriety, highs and lows. In this long-overdue book, he takes us inside the legend's head and home. And just like the man, the book never stops surprising. A must for fight fans.
Jim Brown
From the foreword: I’ve known Rahaman personally for over five and a half decades. I don’t think there’s anyone who was closer to Muhammad than his own brother. I am delighted that Rahaman has written the definitive biography on his brother Muhammad Ali, who was more than merely the most fascinating sporting figure of modern times. He was a lover of human beings, a warrior for the fight against discrimination, and not only did this great heavyweight champion transcend boxing, but he transcended all sports. The Muhammad Ali story is an important part of history, and I can say, with great conviction, that his legacy will live on for a very long time. .. hopefully forever.
USA Today
Rahaman Ali had a ringside seat for nearly all of his brother’s life…Yet despite the sheer volume of Ali books, Rahaman Ali succeeds in telling us things we didn’t already know about his brother, a man the Guinness Book of World Records decided in 1980 had surpassed Lincoln, Napoleon and Jesus Christ to become the most written-about figure in human history.
George Foreman
The real life of the Great One. A real biography about Muhammad Ali by the man who knew him more/longer than anyone else... the man Ali loved more than himself, his brother.
Louisville Courier-Journal
Ali succeeds in telling us some things we didn’t already know about his brother, a man the Guinness Book of World Records decided in 1980 had surpassed Lincoln, Napoleon and Jesus Christ to become the most written-about figure in human history. Despite doubts that have persisted for decades, the younger Ali insists that he saw his brother drop his Olympic Gold Medal in the Ohio River after being refused service in a Louisville restaurant. He recounts pranks pulled on Michael Jackson, a conversation with Sylvester Stallone about womanizing and Ali’s efforts to reunite the Beatles for a charity concert.
Library Journal
10/01/2020
Since his death in 2016, boxing great Muhammad Ali has been the subject of biographies by several friends and family members. Rahman Ali, his younger brother and a former heavyweight himself, along with sportswriter Rafiq now present intimate memories of an infamous man. Muhammad Ali's childhood in Louisville, KY; boxing career; Muslim faith; and years in retirement are all described fully, as are the many myths and legends surrounding him—some confirmed, others debunked. Of special interest is a thorough account of Ali's reaction to being drafted during the Vietnam War, a provocative stand that brought him further into mainstream culture. The lifelong connection between the two brothers allows the author to differentiate between Ali's private and public personas. His exclusive observations make this an important account of Ali's life for fans of "The Greatest," and all readers who want to learn more about one of the 20th century's most successful, polarizing, and, ultimately, beloved public figures. VERDICT The only sibling of Ali brings us into the boxer's inner circle with warmth and ease. This engaging biography of a complicated, charismatic, and larger-than-life figure is recommended for all public library collections.—Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT
